262 



Greenhouse and Stove Plants 



NIDULARIUM. 



if getting larger than needful, they can be 

 headed down, and as soon as a little growth 

 has been made a good portion of the old 

 soil may be shaken from the roots, and the 

 plants replaced in the same pots, in new ; 

 afterwards grow them on as before, and 

 by the liberal use of manure-water they 

 may be kept going for a couple of years 

 without repotting, when younger stock can 

 be grown on to supply their place. 



Where Neriums are required for flower- 

 ing in a small state the best method is to 

 keep a large plant or two, grow them on 

 each season, and then ripen up in the open 

 air as above recommended ; when the 

 flowers show on the points of the shoots 

 cut these off about 8 inches in length, and 

 strike them singly in 6-inch pots, using 

 soil similar to that advised for growing 

 them in ; put them in a gentle bottom- 

 heat, and keep the tops as cool as possible, 

 give plenty of water and a little shade. 

 So treated they will quickly form an 

 abundance of roots, when they may gradu- 

 ally be inured to a greenhouse tempera- 

 ture, in which let them remain through 

 the winter ; in spring they can, as wanted, 

 be either allowed to come into flower 

 slowly or brought on in a little warmth, 

 as recommended for the larger plants, after 

 which they may be potted and grown on 

 as required. 



The following are all \\ell worth a 

 place : — 



N. album. White. 



N. splendens. Eeddish pink. 



N. variegatum. Striped. 



Insects. — Should aphides or thrips make 

 their appearance, fumigate with tobacco ; 

 the syringing recommended is generally 

 sufficient to keep them free from red 

 spider ; if they get affected with scale it 

 can be removed with sponge and brush. 



NICOTIANA AFFINIS. 



A pretty white -flowered greenhouse 

 plant, that keeps on blooming for a length 

 of time, through the summer and autumn. 

 It is nearly allied to the tobacco of com- 

 merce, but quite different in appearance ; 

 it is much like a single form of Petunia, 

 the tube of the flowers being much longer. 

 It is raised from seeds, sown, and treated 

 afterwards in every way as recommended 

 for Petunias, which see. 



NIDULARIUM. 



These are small-groA\'ing stove plants, 

 belonging to the order of Bromeliads. 

 They are very compact growers, in general 

 appearance much like the Tillanddias and 



jEchmeas, to which they are nearly allied. 

 The flowers are produced similarly from 

 the crown or centre of the plant ; those of 

 several of the species are very singular in 

 appearance, nestling in a close, compact 

 mass, like the head of a Cauliflower before 

 it opens. The flowers are preceded by a 

 number of small, brilliantly coloured 

 leaves. The plants are easily grown, 

 provided they receive a sufficient amount 

 of heat, with a moist atmosphere and a 

 little shade. They are increased from 

 suckers produced like others of the Brome- 

 liaceous family. These should be taken 

 oS" irom the parent plants after being 

 allowed to remain attached until they have 

 got sufficient strength — in fact, it is better 

 not to separate them before they have 

 gro^vn to near the full size, as growth is 

 much quicker while supported by the old 

 crowns. The roots are of a tough, wiry 

 nature ; good fibrous peat, such as suitable 

 for Orchids, will answer for them, adding 

 a sprinkling of broken crocks or charcoal ; 

 4-inch or 5-inch pots are large enough at 

 first, and the suckers should be kept moist 

 after they are severed from the parent 

 plants. If separated in the spring they 

 will get established sooner ; give them a 

 corner of the stove aw^ay from any current 

 of air, with a temperature of about 65° or 

 70' in the night through the summer. 

 They do best in a fairly light position, but 

 should be shaded from the sun when it is 

 poweiful ; syringe them overhead daily, 

 and always allow the water that collects in 

 the hollow crown to remain. They will 

 not require any more pot-room during the 

 first summer ; 60° by night will answer 

 through the winter, and they should never 

 be allowed to get dry at the roots. 



In the spring when the heat is again in- 

 creased give them pots a size larger, using 

 soil similar to the first ; if they gain suffi- 

 cient strength, the plants will flow'er to- 

 wards the end of summer, but, unless 

 the suckers were strong when taken 

 off, they may require another season's 

 growth before blooming. The tuft of 

 coloured leaves and the flowers wdiich fol- 

 low collectively retain their colour for 

 many weeks, and have an extremely pretty 

 and distinct appearance. After blooming 

 treat in every way as before, so as to en- 

 courage the production of suckers, retain- 

 ing the old stools after the first are removed, 

 as they will generally make a second growth ; 

 this is the more necessary, as these Nidu- 

 lariums increase slowly. 



N. cyaneum. This species has compara- 

 tively large leaves, 20 inches long, green 

 ground colour spotted with brown, under 

 surface banded with greyish white ; flowers 



